THE CUBAN MEDICAL SERVICES MARKETING COMPANY S.A. (SMC IS THE SPANISH ACRONYM) SPEARHEADS THE MEDICAL TOURISM SEGMENT IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, ON THE BASIS OF QUALITY SERVICE, AND THE PROFESSIONALISM AND HUMANITY OF ITS SPECIALISTS AND TECHNICIANS

Following the merger with Empresa SERVIMED, with over 25 years of experience and international recognition, the company beefs up and enhances its portfolio of goods and services to offer. They hinge on seven main business lines which are: health and care services in Cuba, academic and teaching services within the health care profile, healthcare aimed at welfare and quality of life in Cuba, medical and healthcare services on borders, healthcare services related to optical and pharmaceutical products and natural and traditional medicine, scientific events, and professional services related to medical and healthcare services overseas.
The Program of health and care services in Cuba offers over 200 healthcare programs for foreign patients traveling to the island. Up-to-date techniques are applied in institutions that meet high quality standards in terms of comfort and products provided. As a distinctive hallmark, the technological level matches the international market and those breakthroughs are applied by an ethical and highly-qualified personnel.
“In this sense, the country has inked agreements with over 130 travel agencies and tour operators. In 2014, we welcomed over 15,000 tourists and more than 20,000 patients have been treated in our institutions, which are scattered across the country and the main travel destinations (Varadero, Santa Lucia, Santiago de Cuba, Pinar del Rio and Holguín),” Dr. Yiliam explains.
Another important element underscored by the director of SMC is the fact that this program engulfs different market segments because of the competitive prices within the region.
“As for the Service Program provided by healthcare professionals and technicians abroad, we’re pleased to have them in over 17 countries that enjoy this kind of cooperation. Our participation is aimed at full management of hospitals (ophthalmologic and clinic-surgical). For instance, we manage hospitals in Qatar, Algeria and other nations, in collaboration with local authorities.
“SMC also has healthcare brigades deployed in such countries as Bahrain, South Africa, China, Nicaragua and Ecuador; and we’re working on different projects such as the signing of agreements with prestigious entities in order to treat their workers. That’s the case of the Russian oil industry and PDVSA in Venezuela.
“Another significant business line developed by our company is the offer of academic services, since we not only open to the possibility of letting youngsters from other countries come and study Medicine and in eight different fields of Healthcare Technology, but also in all specialties of postgraduate courses, master degrees, internships and Ph.Ds. We presently have over 7,000 foreign youngsters studying in Cuban medical institutions and other 2,000 to 3,000 who are coming to begin their studies.”
As for new strategies fostered by the company, Yilian Jimenez spells out details about the recent alliance with OSDE BioCubaFarma, whereby “we’ve designed an interesting development program aimed at offering medical services with cutting-edge products developed by Cuba’s biotechnological industry. That’s the case of the cancer prevention, research and treatment program, as well as the use of such new product as the vaccine against lung cancer; and the comprehensive assistance program for diabetic patients, which includes the treatment with Hebert Prot-P, which cures ulcers caused by the diabetic foot and avoids amputations in a significant number of patients. This treatment is being applied in 14 countries,” Dr. Yillian Jimenez went on to say.
Another keystone strategy is the development program of 16 curative and life-quality programs in 15 of the island nation’s top institutions. This project allows for the enhancement of capacities for tourists, as well as the training of its staff of professionals and technicians, thus increasing revenues in terms of medical tourism in a short period of time (2 to 3 years).
“We’re undergoing a continuous process of growth and development, which has made our revenues climb a staggering 200 percent every year. This wouldn’t be possible without the far-reaching prestige achieved by Cuba’s public healthcare system for over 50 years of medical cooperation. Nowadays, we’re present in 66 countries, with other 52,000 healthcare specialists, who have been trained under the highest ethical and scientific levels,” said Doctor Yilian Jimenez, Director of Cuban Medical Services S.A.